Bluffton’s police department has achieved a certification of full compliance through the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Agency, according to Ryan Burkholder, police chief.

• The certification demonstrations efforts of the department to engage in the community and be transparent in operations.

• It shows the department enacts sound procedures and trains officers in common sense policies.

• The goal of certification is to ensure the department delivers superior law enforcement services to community.

He informed Bluffton council members of the certification at the Jan. 25 council meeting. In addition, several officers were recognized at the meeting by Chief Burkholder.

Those officers follow:
• Entire department, officer of the year
  The list is at the bottom of this story
• Corporal Lonny Kent, chief’s leadership award
  Presented to an officer showing strong leadership, encouraging
  mentoring and dedication to the department and community
• Abby Michael, crime prevention officer
  She attended a 40-hour crime prevention course
• Eric Rayle, firearms instructor
  He attend the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy
   on instruction of the firearms
• Lesley Crawford
   Emergency medical responder award
• Dominic Francis received a 10-year service award with the department.

Burkholder credited the entire police department as responding the challenges of the covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

“Each officers went above and beyond to maintain a positive attitude, cover additional shirts and strive for excellence,” he said.

Those officers are: Lt. Matt Oglesbee, Sgt. Tyler Hochstetler Cpl. Lonny Kent and officers Abby Michael, Lesley Crawford, Nathan Jordan, Cody Ganson, Dominic Francis, Charles Montgomery, Hope Hannah, Eric Rayle, Troy Hartzog, Elliot Tyzzer and Jared Arnold.